People come. They eat. They leave over an enormous amount of food. This brings us to Holiday Leftovers. Holiday leftovers are not to be confused with the tunafish left on a platter after your family has had their share at lunch yesterday.

I'm talking about vast quantities of many dishes. Leftovers are not left over if they are eaten. For many, part of the ritual of Thanksgiving is the 11 p.m. raid on the refrigerator to join everyone else who is standing and eating in pajamas and bathrobes. Is a turkey leg one item? Two? Three? Might be more.

You'd recognize the satiation component if you were eating slower and sipping water between bites. Plates and utensils are your friends. They keep you mindful.You want to fit into your dress/pants at the end of the meal, at the end of the day, at the end of the weekend, as well as at the beginning when everyone arrives (or if you are the arrivee) and tells you how wonderful you look. Someone said, "A goal without a plan is just a daydream." And I know Yogi Berra said: "If you don't know where you're going, you could end up someplace else."There are a few things you can do during a holiday meal day that can be practiced year round. If you set a goal to make this your new way, it becomes comfortable year round, then when a holiday meal comes along, you won't be looking to make it an overeating exception.

You'll keep feeding the smaller person no matter who you are with, what country you are in, and what the holiday it is. You are either striving to become a smaller person in which case you feed that smaller person you want to be. Or, you are a smaller person, in which case, you feed the smaller person you are.Here's the plan:Almost every month has a holiday where food is the centerpiece. The holiday eating strategies are helpful if you read the information before, during, and after the festivities. This will help you plan ahead, execute, evaluate, and adjust, for next time.

That's the thing with holidays ? there's always a next time. Fill in the following sentence. Go for it.I want to weigh __________ pounds, 365 days a year, not just when it's convenient. I can do it!1. Don't skip meals.

Starving all day as an excuse to overeat at a party doesn't work. Plan ahead, instead.2. In a relaxed, quiet atmosphere, envision what food and drink you'll be encountering and plan, in advance, in writing, what you want to do. Just scribble a few decisions in a 3 X 5 (or smaller) card: Is it going to be a one-item, two-item, three-item meal? How many items are appropriate? What are they to be? Chicken? Fish? Veal? Will you choose a potato? Do you want dessert more than bread? A salad more than a vegetable? To weigh __________ pounds or to continue weighing what you weigh. And 2b) What behavioral techniques do you plan to use to help lessen food-related anxiety? Will you carry around a goblet of water during the stand up portion of the festivities? Will you help the hostess set the table? Will you play with the children? Food is just a part of the day.

What are you going to be doing when social anxiety and old family issues rear their heads in the guise of best sweet potato pie. If you always do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got.3. Wear a belt with a buckle, whenever eating and whenever necessary. Buckle on snug. Wear a thin belt under your clothes if the outfit is of the cover-up variety.When an elastic-waisted pants/skirt give, it gives oh so quietly.

You're not even aware that you're growing back into that bigger person's pants/skirt. A waistband tells you at dinner that you haven't even digested what you had at lunch. When you reach for a second helping of something, your waistband will tell you: "don't do that." And you'll pick up the water instead.4. While in attendance, keep moving. Help the hostess, play with children, and talk to everyone in the room before looking at the food.

Don't linger near the buffet table. A wonderful three-part question to ask before eating anytime, anywhere, is:

1. Am I hungry?
2. Am I hungry enough to put food on a plate and eat with utensils (knife, fork, spoon, chopsticks)?
3. Am I hungry enough to make my meal ? whether one or two or three or more items ? last a relaxing, pleasant, 20-minutes, or more?

If the dinner is to be very late, you might consider having a cup of soup or cereal at home in a quiet atmosphere before leaving for the festivities. Then when the flying Rumaki appetizers make an entrance and you're waiting for the entree, you'll be able to honestly say, no thanks, I'm not hungry.6. If it is a buffet meal, walk the distance without a plate as you identify the protein and the vegetables and whether dessert is more tempting than the bread or the drink. Then go back to the beginning of the table and make yourself a plate as you might be served in a restaurant. Plan the number of items in advance.

Decide, before arriving, whether you'll choose a bread or beverage or dessert or alcohol, rather than deciding you'll have all four. (Is the bread really unique, the coffee unusual, the extra drink adding to your enjoyment?)7. Find a place to eat where you can enjoy your meal in a relaxed manner while using utensils. If this is not possible, or the choices are really not to your liking, do the best that you can do under the circumstances.It is okay to tell your hosts you don't want a second helping of everything. They only want you to have a good time.

You won't be having a good time if you eat too much and your clothes become tight. Overeating is not a reward. Fill up on the ambiance. Food is just part of the day's events. Food is not entertainment.8.

Eat slowly and thoughtfully. Make each meal last a relaxing twenty minutes, or more. Put utensils down between bites, take frequent sips of water, and intersperse plenty of good conversation between bites. Finish chewing and swallowing each bite before inserting more food.9. Alcohol causes lack of resolve, which may cause you to eat or drink too much of things you didn't plan for.

Less and less alcohol is needed as your total body weight diminishes. If alcohol is your choice instead of bread, beverage, or dessert, toast the holiday but try to drink two or more sips of water for each sip of alcohol. Always make sure the alcohol is part of the meal where you will be coating the inner lining of your stomach. Before drinking an alcoholic beverage, bear in mind, nobody said you have to finish your drink either.10. There will always be another meal, another holiday, another party.

Keep in mind how much more fun they will be with a slimmer waistline, a more in control you.11. Do the best you can. There are a lot of choices to make. The first time, your plan may not turn out exactly as you pictured it to be. By reading your strategies and planning in advance, in writing, what you want to accomplish, chances are you'll eat a little less, move a little more, put your fork down sooner, and feel a little better than had you not had a plan.

But, no matter what happens, Get Back on The Program at the very next meal.12. Most of all have a nice time. Feeling stuffed, bloated, or uncomfortable in your clothes does not enhance the enjoyment of the event. More is not better; it is only more.13. Rewrite this Holiday Eating Strategy Review onto a compact piece of paper.

Carry your Holiday Eating Strategy Review sheet with you to read before, and during the party. Repeat your weight loss goals to yourself several times during the day of the food encounter. I want to weigh ______ pounds. Any meal is not the Last Supper. It's just another meal.

When sufficiently armed, the battle is won.14. If all else fails, flee the city with a friend..

How do you fit in? Be mindful. Are you representing what you want to, and what you intend to? I'm thinking of the mother at our children's 8th grade outdoor morning graduation ceremony in spangles, cleavage, boa and dangly earrings. What look was she after, I wondered. She had achieved the "appearing nightly" look.FIND OUT WHAT'S APPROPRIATEThe emotionally intelligent person plans ahead. When planning to travel on business, call a coach in the area you're going to.

Male lawyers in San Antonio, TX USA wear suspenders, while when my sister first started practicing law in D. C., judges did not permit women lawyers to wear pantsuits in court. In San Antonio, TX there isn't much use for a coat rack. I had no idea when I got to the Chicago Art Museum that I could check my coat and boots. There were lockers.

How nice! But neither was I prepared for how hot they keep their buildings. People who come to San Antonio are never prepared for how icy we keep our buildings in the summer.DOES IT REALLY MATTER?Of course it does, because you want to be able to concentrate on what's really important. You'll probably have a sense of what areas of the country are different, and in which areas dress matters more than in others. I had no idea for instance what to wear for a professional trip to Seattle, Washington (USA). Don't laugh, but all I'd seen in photos was lumber jackets and jeans.

Of course YOU are not your CLOTHES, but the more comfortable I am, the better I can do my job, and the more I'll enjoy myself. As my friend who didn't listen to me and took her bright floral patterned dresses to D. C. found out, there are good ways to stand out, and there are bad ways to stand out. In the room of 300 people all wearing solid colors, she might as well have had a bone in her nose.

She found it hard to get it out of her mind. That can take the edge off what you're about! FORGETTINGWhere I live it is 98 for a good part of the year, and then plummets all the way to, oh maybe freezing once in a while. It is said to snow once every ten years, but it's been longer than that since last it did. Therefore, I forget what "cold" means. I know cold, I went to college in Minnesota but I forget the feel of it.

When I arrived in Duluth, MN in February and it was 40 below ? honest degrees, not windchill ? I was appalled. When you check with that coach, don't settle for "it's cold up here" or "it could be 40 below," ask them "what's should I bring?" and, as I did before going to Russia, "please tell me what it feesl like when it's 70 degrees with 100 percent humidity and wind blowing at X mph."If you're female, ask that coach about jewelry. I was so grateful to the mentor who told me when I attended my first XX conference that the women in that profession in that town would be "draped in jewelry, rings, bracelets, necklaces earrings, toe rings, naval rings ?" Of course I would like to know the opposite, too. Why? Well, it's not cool to sit down to a business dinner in Seattle and ask for iced tea. If you know what I mean.

Oh, you haven't done that? Let me tell you what happens. Everyone's head jerks toward you. Then they look away. The waiter stammers and shifts from foot to foot. You realize immediately there is no iced tea in this town.

But the waiter won't let it go. "I'll brew some tea," he says, "and bring you a glass of ice." "Or just shoot me," I'm thinking. Then he adds, "Is that what iced tea is like?" Everyone is still looking at the ceiling. ASK THE COACHYour answers are only as good as your questions. Here's a good question to ask that coach: "What will I wish I'd brought with me that I won't think of." That will trigger the "tourist" mindset in your resource person.

Oh the things I've wished I'd brought. ?A well broken in pair of sandals for my Caribbean cruise?A bathing suit for my December trip to Chicago. Of course the hotel had a hot tub. They all do.?A pair of comfortable heels each time I've given a presentation. Why do I fool myself??Slacks with elastic waistline for cruises?Something Tencel for long trips?The black Pashmina shawl that works with everything.

Why do I leave it in the back of my closet??Something for the rain. It rains when you go somewhere else. You can go to the dollar store and buy what amounts to disposable ponchos and head covers. (Great for touring Russia in the summer or Seattle nearly any time).?Something really cute for vacations. You think you want to go funky, but then you see someone in a smashing linen matching outfit, and there you are, buying something cute in the hotel store with a price tag that isn't cute at all.

?An evening bag. With an evening bag you can get by with that same black Tencel skirt ? you know what I mean. ?Jeans. Dry cleaned and starched. ?Sensible shoes.

Oh was I mad when they wouldn't let me rent a motorbike on Grand Cayman with my thong sandals, and the heels back in my room wouldn't have made the cut either. ?That thing that's hanging on the back of your chair if you're in an office right now. You know what I mean. Bring it along for when you get cold which could be anywhere, any time. Find out what you need to know and master the fundamentals so you don't have to think about what you've got on!.

Will this part be good for my career advancement? Is this a company that I want to work for? People audition for hundreds upon hundred of gigs all the time. I suggest you do some soul searching. What type of auditionee do I want to be? The one that auditions for everything and anything or the one that is more selective? If I do become more selective, then why?How do I walk into the audition?The first thing that the auditioners notice when you walk in is your appearance. When you walk in, they immediately start examining you. How does she carry herself? Is she smiling? Do the clothes she wears exemplify her personality while maintaining professionalism? Even if they are not aware of the types of questions they are asking, the auditioners will immediately make a judgment on whether or not they like you.I used to walk into an audition saying to myself, "I'm not good enough to get this gig.

Why would they even hire me?" As awful as that is???it's true! That's what would run through my mind. And inevitably I would never get the gig. Why? Because I conveyed that attitude in my face and in my presence, without even knowing it. People immediately noticed it. Finally, someone (who later become a good friend) said to me, "Ja-Na?, with your attitude the way it is, you are never going to make it.

Being humble is one thing (and a great thing!!!), but thinking that you are not even good enough for the gig. If you think you're not good enough?..then you're not." She was right! If I wanted to survive in this competitive field, I definitely had to have an attitude adjustment.Am I dressed for success?What you wear to an audition says TONS about who you are as a person. You want a look that is professional, classy, yet shows off your personality. Though I'm a cross-over artist, my primary genre is opera and those are the auditions that I have had the most experience with. Also, it is tricky with opera.

You audition outfit changes with the season and the time of day. Here are some tips for both sexes in the opera world:MEN?Use the cut of the suit, color of the suit, and the color of the tie to show off your personality. The colors and style you wear can say a lot about you.?Make sure your shoes are not scuffed. No one likes a well-dressed man with scuffed shoes.?Make sure that the shirt is ironed and the suit is dry-cleaned.?Auditioners want to see you face, so clean shaven is preferred.WOMEN?Keep it simple. Daytime/Nighttime (ANYTIME): black or gray are great!?Unless it is a competition: NO EVENING GOWNS!!!! ?Mezzos: The general census is to wear a skirt, unless you are auditioning specifically for a pants role.?Long or medium length skirts: NO MINIS! They distract from your voice.?Try solid colors (prints distract the listener away from your face and especially your voice).?Dark colors on the bottom with a lighter colored top (attracts more attention towards your face).?If wearing dark on top and bottom, accentuate it with a colorful scarf or an accessory.?Wear your hair away from your face and out of your eyes.

This doesn't mean that it has to be up, just out of the way.?NEVER wear stockings with open-toed shoes. That is a big NO! NO!Before you walk out that door, ask yourself: Am I dressed for success? Would I hire a person that is dressed like me? Remember: Your first impression on the auditioners happens as you walk in the door??.so be smart about it!How do I walk out of an audition?Walk out of the audition the same way you walked in?.with confidence and a smile. Even if it was the worse audition that you have ever done, do not show it. Your audition ends when you are out of the building you auditioned in and NO SOONER. If it was a bad audition or if you did not like the people who you auditioned for, it is better to keep it to yourself.

You never know who might be watching you.What can I learn from this audition?I would have to say the best thing that you can do for yourself during the audition process is to form a healthy objective attitude. No matter if you get the audition or not, after the audition is over, analyze it. Ask yourself the following questions:?What could I have done better? No audition is perfect. It is the ability to learn from your experiences and other people's experiences that will make every audition better than the last.?Did I prepare myself well for the audition (we'll get to preparation in the next installment)??What did I learn from other people? You can learn a GREAT DEAL from observing the other auditionees. Things like: what to wear, what NOT to wear, what new repertoire you can use, how people prepare and conduct themselves right before they go into the audition, how people prepare and conduct themselves right after their audition??.there are a number of things that you can learn.?Am I willing to learn? This is the biggest of them all.

If you are not willing to learn from your mistakes along with your successes, then honestly??you should get out of the business. You are a product, which means you are constantly changing, particularly your marketable angle. If you're not willing to do that, then you're not willing to do what it takes to sell yourself to your potential buyers??the auditioners. Now that you are have a good (or at least better) attitude about the audition process, it is time turn our attention to Step II: how to successfully prepare for the audition you are going into, which we will cover in our next installment of "How to sell yourself in an audition."REPRINT PERMISSIONWould you like to run some of the content from this article on your web site or in your e-zine? You may do so for free as long as you add the following credit:"Reprinted from 's Newsletter, featuring Ja-Na?'s up-coming gigs and projects; and focusing on free self-promotion ideas; and free self-actualizing hints. Visit www.Ja-Nae.com for free details."__________________________________________________'s Articles are published by E-mail: nae@Ja-Nae.comhttp://www.Ja-Nae.com/(c) 2003 by - All Rights Reserved__________________________________________________.

Dirty Bottom Corporation presented a contract that indicated radio airplay is a material obligation of Dirty Bottom Corporation. WPYO Program Director Phil Becker was also to be compensated 3 points on any record deal plus $15,000, and Dirty Bottom Corporation retained the $1,500. However, legal counsel for 2MCH4YA Records reviewed the contract and advised them to pull out of this arrangement as it was equivalent to and in fact was a payola situation. Ariana's management, 2MCH4YA Records, LLC states that during a personal meeting with Program Director Phil Becker, he indicated that for "putting us on radio, he wanted 3 points of any major label deal we might get and $15,000 of any up front advance money." Becker also asked for permission to shop the record to some label contacts that he had. "We agreed verbally to this, but it were told that the points would have to go in a Dirty Bottom Corporation contract and they would pay any parties due their respective points to skirt any payola laws", states Willie Stewart of 2MCH4YA.

The point structure gave 3 points ? Phil Becker +$15,000; 3 points ? Chuck Feld (Universal Records); 2 points ? Julian Rowe, 2 points ? Paul Hawthorne; 4 points (reserved) ? In case someone else shopped the deal; 16 points ? Artist. Subsequent to pulling out of negotiations with Dirty Bottom Corporation and WYPO Program Director, Phil Becker, 2MCH4YA Records has requested a refund of all monies deposited with Phil Becker's Dirty Bottom Corporation and have been refused. The Florida Attorney General is currently investigating and corroborating the allegations with corporate and personal emails from Dirty Bottom Corporation to Ariana's management and the tendered contract.For further information, please contact:Willie Stewart 407-252-0438 or 407-699-4262http://arianastewart.net/homepage.htm.

Visit a hairdresser, they will be able to advise and styled your hair to suit you, bringing out that radiant in you.If you are still wearing glasses, why not give it a try with contact lens? You can have excellent peripheral vision and at the same time, ease, comfort and convenience. Not forgetting to mention, a more youthful look. Don't you love the way you naturally look without your glasses?Put on some light makeup to help lift your face, bringing out that natural beauty in you. Do however avoid too heavy a makeup; a heavy eye makeup tends to add ages to the look.Try out new styles; add a little color to your daily wear. Yes, appropriate dressing for work is important, especially when your job involves frequent meeting with clients.

But still, that doesn't mean that you have to stick to the same old boring dull clothing everyday. Well, as long as they are not too short, too tight, too revealing and too bright, you can still have fun with mixing and matching while maintaining your professional image. For instance, instead of the usual dull black pants & skirt, you can also go for a Glencheck Pants, Ice Blue Cotton Flare Leg Pants, a Pink Stretch Twill Pencil Skirt, White Pleated knee Skirt? Matching them with Yellow Stretch Corduroy Belted Blouse, Mint Chiffon V-neck Blouse, a White, Blue & Red Stripe Button Front Shirt? Perhaps even a Blue Dot Capsleeve Jersey Dress? Many work place, has nonetheless also adopted the idea of a Casual Friday. A printed tee with faded stretch denim jean? Why Not? Well and of course not forgetting the weekends. A Sporty & Youthful look? It's your weekend you call the shots! Hmm? Save the best for the last? Well, there's no need to wait for any special occasion to doll yourself up.

You deserve to look your best everyday. Last but not least, put on a smile?.

For tickets or information, call 361-833-6683, 1-877-286-6683 or visit www.ccsymphony.orgThe newly opened $18 million, 1,500 seat concert hall will be home to the university's music programs and performing groups, and will also be the home of the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra for the next five years. The center was designed by Gordon Landreth of Cotton Landreth Kramer Architects, Inc., and features a concert stage that can expand to hold 85 musicians, 180-degree seating and a technologically advanced sound system. Jaffe Holden Acoustics, which worked on Fort Worth's Bass Hall, was consulted, along with New York design firm Hardy, Holzman, Pfeiffer Architects and theater consultants Fisher Dachs Associates. The 50-foot glass-walled atrium where Danzamar is placed faces Ocean Drive and overlooks Corpus Christi Bay and the city's skyline.About Texas A&M University-Corpus ChristiTexas A&M University-Corpus Christi is one of the state's fastest growing four-year universities and the only university in America located on its very own island. The University was ranked as the top public regional university in Texas by U.S.

News & World Report in its annual college guide in 1998, 1999 and 2001, and again recognized in 2002 as one of the top public master's level universities in the western United States. Students select from 33 undergraduate majors, 25 graduate programs and two doctoral programs offered through four colleges, including Colleges of Arts and Humanities; Business; Education; and Science and Technology. The 240-acre island campus is just minutes from downtown Corpus Christi.About Kent UllbergA native of Sweden, Kent Ullberg is recognized as one of the world's foremost wildlife sculptors. While he has done hundreds of works on a small scale, he is perhaps best known for the monumental works he has executed for museums and municipalities from Omaha, Nebraska to Cape Town, South Africa. A recent project was the largest bronze casting ever done, measuring 36' high and 120' long, capturing the stages of a sailfish leaping form the water.

Regardless of scale, he imbues all of his subjects with unparalleled vitality.He's received awards from the National Arts Club, the National Sculpture Society, the Society of Animal Artists and the National Academy of Western Art, and has completed commissions for the National Wildlife Federation Headquarters, the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and the Museum of Natural History in Gothenburg, Sweden. A member of the American Society of Marine Artists, Ullberg was elected as a full "Academician" by the National Academy of Design, one of the highest recognitions a visual artist can receive. In 1995, he received the prestigious Frederic Remington Award at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City for his bronze of a bison called "Headmaster." His work can be found in the private collection of H.R.H. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, as well as major museums and corporations around the world. He maintains studios in Loveland, Colorado and Corpus Christi, Texas.

For more information, call (970) 667-7809 or (361) 851-1600, or email e-mail protected from spam bots..

They also may fill in with dance assistants who are learning how to teach and want the practice. "You don't need to have a partner," they advertise. Singles are welcome, often outnumbering the partnered, and there's likely to be a wide age range, skewed slightly on the older side. How sweet it that? The private dance studio may also offer social outings and field trips to other dance halls which will extend your knowledge of what's available and also bring you new acquaintances and dance partners. And a nod to the future? Many schools offer training for your first wedding dance.

It's a big moment when the bride and groom take the floor, and they will teach you how to make it look and feel good. If you're a man, you can also use this training to allow you to become a Gentleman Dance Host on cruise ships, including the coveted Cunard line. These gentleman, who are older and have good social and dance skills, are on duty every night in the various lounges of the ship dancing with women in need of dancing partners, as part of their working vacation. For more information on this, see my ebook, "Presenting on a Cruise." Country and Western dance halls, Salsa Clubs and Big Band Ballrooms are filling empty nights (weeknights and Sundays) by offering group lessons you can take advantage of. They usually have a male and a female teacher, so you can see what it looks like when you actually dance with someone.

You can learn the Triple Two Step, Salsa, Merengue, West Coast Swing and the new line dances, as well as the traditional ballroom dances like the waltz and polka. My dance school is having a Polka Party this Sunday afternoon. 2 hours of instruction followed by open dancing. Can you imagine the exercise?Check with the dance halls in your area, or go here to locate a dance teacher: http://www.dancespots.net/Find/FindATeacher.asp?SE=Y. This website needs more names and numbers (there were none listed for my zip code, while there are many opportunities in this town), so if your dance school or teacher isn't listed there, call and tell him or her to get on this website.

It provides needed information.Once you get into it you may not want to stop with purely social dancing. More people all the time are recognizing the fun and physical fitness aspects and want to get more serious about it. For this you need a steady partner to practice and compete with and there's even a website for finding a dance partner: http://www.dancepartner.com/?AC=1 . If you really get into it, you'll also need wardrobe. Matching Western shirts for you and him? (Buy it and he will come!) I can't imagine dancing the tango without a ruffled skirt, can you? (The rose in your teeth is optional!) If you don't want to spend a fortune to outfit yourself, take a trip to your local Goodwill store.

They may have just what you're looking for, including cowboy boots. How to begin? Find the place, check out the dress code, and show up. You may be a little nervous at first, depending upon how rusty you are, and especially if you're a true beginner, but don't worry, you'll soon be out there doing the Jitterbug with the best of them. The teachers and atmosphere will make you feel at ease immediately, and chances are you'll find nice people who are there to enjoy dancing in a friendly, healthy atmosphere that's contagious. Once you've learned the basics and found the venues, you can add dancing to your social schedule.

What better way to work off that Thanksgiving dinner than to go dance the night away afterwards? Dancing makes a great family activity. There are at least two dance halls in my town that offer special family-friendly times. They offer food as well as drink, and it's sweet to see the dads dancing with their little girls in their arms, and toddlers taking the floor solo to bounce to the beat. There's also a chance to dance at local festivals. The recent Wurstfest in my area featured a huge dance floor with a 10-piece brass band imported from Germany that got everyone up and on their feet ? from 18 months to 80.As more people stay single for extended periods of time, line dancing is being offered more frequently.

If you don't have a partner, or just don't want to dance with someone you don't know, you can wait till they play Cotton Eyed Joe, Mambo No. 5, Strokin' or Boot Scootin' Boogie and get out there on your own. But you'll have the most fun if you go ahead and ask someone to dance, and ladies, don't be shy. It's quite acceptable to ask men to dance. In fact I think the guys appreciate it.

Whatever your goal, looking for friends or a partner, wanting to master new dances, or simply to get exercise and have fun, you can't go wrong. It's highly probable you'll find all these when you go out dancing..

Rier challenges a woman to buy the same size pair of pants from both French Connection and Ann Taylor, "The discrepancy in standard sizing is just truly baffling," explains Rier. If she's baffled, other women are frustrated, confused and even embarrassed. As one client explained to Rier, "If I'm a size 4 in one store, it stands to reason that I'd be a size 4 in another, right? So why do some 4's fit perfectly while others can't make it over my knee? There's nothing worse than responding to the saleslady's 'how's everything going in there?' with a 'can I try these in a size 12?' " Rier might have anticipated the needs of other women, but the idea for Mellifluous Couture started as a very personal one. "I've always been bigger than the average fashionista. After I had my daughter, though, I realized that if I weren't a designer I'd be doomed to a closet full of ill-fitting mediocrity! Once I started doing special orders, I very quickly started realizing that no one I measured fit into a standardized size mold.

It seemed absolutely imperative to provide this kind of service. As far as I'm concerned, Ready-to-Wear standard sized clothing is an experiment which has failed," Rier explains.Mellifluous Couture's lines cater to the individuality of sizes and aesthetics, allowing women to choose an article of clothing, select a style, specify their exact measurements (bust, waist, hip and length) and select the fabrics and trims that appeal to them. For Rier, Mellifluous Couture is about more than giving women clothing that truly fits their bodies and personalities, it's about giving them the power to redefine the notion of "standard."Mellifluous Couture custom couture is available online, along with an eclectic assortment of handbags and accessories. All clothing is handmade and personally draped to create the best fit. Customers can choose from thirteen dress styles, ten skirt styles and eight shirt styles; as well as over fifteen fabrics of varied patterns, textures and colors.

To learn more about Mellifluous Couture, please call 917.692.2074 or e-mail designer at mellifluouscouture.com. CONTACT INFORMATION:Erika RierOwner, Mellifluous Couture, LLCwww.mellifluouscouture.com917.692.2074.

(Who's gonna see it?) Add a few pillows and a throw, and you have changed the entire look of your furniture for little money, the covers are washable, and you can make one for each season if you want.Sheets, blankets, and quilts can all be used for this project, and can be found at garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even your own linen closet. Try wrapping the cushions with another, different fabric from the room. Remember, this is all about casual style, and slipcovers are definitely stylish!Even dining room chairs can be slipcovered. Simply make an open envelope of fabric to fit over the back of the chair, similar to a pillowcase. If you like, this can be dressed up by tying it with cord or ribbon, sewing on decorative buttons, or adding a little lace.

This project can easily be made from leftover curtain fabric and scraps lying around your sewing room.Next on the list is what is known as "hardgoods". Tables, chests, entertainment centers. A fast and inexpensive way to transform these items is, you guessed it, paint. Almost anything can be painted these days, including laminate. Simply prime it with a product specifically made for non-porous surfaces?I like BIN or KILZ.

Then just use ordinary housepaint. Wood finishes can be just sanded and painted.Consider trying your hand at decorative painting or faux finishing for designed effects. I suggest visiting a few web sites for ideas like www.paintedhouse.com, www.paintideas.com, or www.fauxlikeapro.com. Another tight budget option for covering worn or outdated furniture includes using fabric on door and drawer fronts. You can use leftover fabric, fabric from thrift stores or garage sales, or search your own closet.

Simply cut the fabric slightly larger than the drawer or door front, then use a staple gun to adhere it to the back, stretching it snug as you go. Try painting the rest of the piece a color picked out of the fabric for a great coordinated look.The last option I am going to throw out there is mosaic tiling. This can be very frugal if you have leftover tiles from another project, or ask your local tiling center if they have broken tiles they would let you have. Another good place to look for free mosaic materials is at residential construction sites, especially ones that are more upscale. Always ask first, but there are always broken tiles when an installation has taken place, and it's only going to get hauled to the dump!Mosaic can be as simple as laying broken tile in a random pattern and gluing in place, to laying out intricate patterns, and grouting and sealing your project.

You can use it on table or dresser tops, drawer fronts, or even a door itself! You can even produce the illusion of mosaic by using decorative paper in the same manner, cut it into irregular shapes, and glue it on!Whatever you choose to do to update your furniture, impose your own style, take your time, and be proud of your creation!Copyright 2002 K. Wilson.

Does beef have all we need for a healthier diet? According to The American Dietetic Association, it's not a good idea to completely eliminate fat from our diets. Fat, is actually an essential nutrient, needed for energy, and the transportation of fat-soluble vitamins. When it comes to consuming red meat, the important thing to remember is MODERATION, keeping portions small (limit serving sizes to 3 to 6 ounces), and avoiding that one pound steak. Did you know that one serving of lean beef contains only 6.4 grams of fat, and there a several cuts of beef that are even lower in fat than a skinless chicken thigh? And let's not forget the incredible taste of a juicy hamburger, tender skirt steak, or an inviting bowl of hot chili. Beef is considered nature's multi-vitamin.

Zinc, one of beef's most important nutrients, helps boost the immune system and heals wounds faster. Phosphorous, necessary for strong bones and teeth, as well as protein, which helps build a strong and muscular body, are among the nutrients that are abundant in beef. In addition to a number of B-complex vitamins that help to produce energy in the cells of the body, beef also contanins the vital mineral, iron. Iron aids in delivering oxygen to the muscles and cells, thus providing you with the energy needed to get through your busy day. So just when you think you've made up your mind on ostrich or beef, lets serve up another alternative, Buffalo, also called Bison Meat.

This heart healthy meat, also low in cholesterol and fat is a good source of protein (35% more protein than beef), and another health-conscious, rich tasting choice of red meat. Tender and flavorful, buffalo has fewer calories and less cholesterol than ostrich. Buffalo is nutrient dense because of its proportion of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals compared with its caloric value. Being high in iron, moderate in zinc, and low in sodium, makes this sweet flavored meat an excellent choice for those of us who are looking to maintain a low fat, low cholesterol diet, essential to good health. Choices, choices, choices.

In today's world, taking care of our hearts, eating a healthy yet tasty diet, and of course, looking the very best we can, are of serious concern. Eating smart and following a solid STRENGTH, CARDIO, and FLEXIBILITY routine, will help you achieve our goals. Good luck in your selections..